QLD rolls out number plate recognition cameras

[Jim Goose]

On the news tonight...

Police have begun using technology to target unregistered cars and unlicensed drivers, who are three times more likely to be involved in road accidents.

Queensland police's first automatic number plate recognition unit was unveiled today by police minister Neil Roberts and Acting Commissioner Ian Stewart.

Vehicles featuring monitoring cameras were located on the corner of Alice and George streets.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Police officers use the number plate recognition equipment.

Police officers use the number plate recognition equipment. Photo: Daniel Nancarrow

The cameras read number plates and check them against a database of unregistered vehicles or vehicles linked to drivers who have lost their license.

It then provides a warning to the operating officers who contact a unit ahead to pull the car over.

Minister Roberts said the technology can be used to read the number plates of up to 3000 cars an hour.

According to police estimates, the technology is at least seven times quicker than a similar manual process.

The camera is the first and only operational automatic number plate recognition unit in Queensland.

Minister Roberts said the state intended to purchase another 10 to 12 units over the next year.

"This is a road safety initiative to get dangerous drivers off the road who we know through evidence are three times more likely to have a crash if they are driving an unregistered car or are unlicensed," he said.

"This is very good technology, police can already do this manually, they can check driver licences or check number plates or call in to check whether a driver is unlicensed or a vehicle is unregistered."

The technology will be used in the state's southeast over the Easter period.

Both Minister Roberts and Acting Commissioner Stewart urged motorists to take extra care during the Easter holidays and drive to the conditions.

Commissioner Stewart said motorists needed to be extra cautious on roads which may still be suffering damage from recent rainfall and flooding.

"It's up to you the drivers out there, if you drive sensibly and you drive to the rules and the conditions hopefully we won't see anymore fatals," he said.

A total of 11 people lost their lives in road accidents over the Easter school holiday period last year, with two people dying on the long weekend.

Commissioner Stewart said the 2011 road toll, currently at 69 people, seven more than the same time last year.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by news

Commissioner Stewart said the 2011 road toll, currently at 69 people, seven more than the same time last year

Can't possibly be true. We have hidden speed cameras now, nobody should have crashed because speed can't be a factor......

[Jim Goose]

They should rephrase it?

People will crash even less now then with just speed cameras?

[jpd80]

Police have begun using technology to target unregistered cars and unlicensed drivers, who are three times more likely to be involved in road accidents.

This statement is probably three times more likely to be wrong...

[fangq]

Originally Posted by jpd80

This statement is probably three times more likely to be wrong...

That's probably a dead easy stat for the transport dept to prove, given that
a lot of data is generated after an accident.
Personally, I would rather see governments home in on the root cause of most
dramas on our roads, and imo, it's the pitiful driving skills of a lot of drivers.
We all make mistakes, but some drivers trail a continual miasma of grief as they plough through traffic. If I was Mel Brooks ( it's great to be the king ). there would be checks on cars, competency tests on drivers, and free compulsory defensive driving courses.

cheers
Steve

[xxx000]

i call the roll out all good news

it also makes it much easier to detect stolen cars

[Auturbo6]

Am wondering whether or not, the action of changing nr plates on motor vehicles will be reconised by this "awsome" technology. One can still have two cars, and one set of plates. lol.

[stevz]

I'm all for this. They should be rolling out more of these rather than more speed cameras. People who drive unregistered/unlicenced deserve to have the book thrown at them.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by stevz

I'm all for this. They should be rolling out more of these rather than more speed cameras. People who drive unregistered/unlicenced deserve to have the book thrown at them.

The cameras cannot detect unlicensed or uninsured or drunk, all they can tell is if you have not paid your rego (tax).

There is only ONE diference between registered and unregistered and it involves giving MONEY to the government.

As with everything this collection of parasites do, it is all about revenue......

[stevz]

Originally Posted by flappist

The cameras cannot detect unlicensed or uninsured or drunk, all they can tell is if you have not paid your rego (tax).

There is only ONE diference between registered and unregistered and it involves giving MONEY to the government.

As with everything this collection of parasites do, it is all about revenue......

They can detect unlicenced drivers if the car they are driving is in their name.

[SLO AU XR8]

Originally Posted by stevz

They can detect unlicenced drivers if the car they are driving is in their name.

But can't a licenced driver be in control of the vehicle?

[flappist]

Originally Posted by stevz

They can detect unlicenced drivers if the car they are driving is in their name.

Didn't think that one through did you?

The MAJORITY of my cars (and most of my friends' cars) are not registered in the name of a licensed driver.......

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by flappist

There is only ONE diference between registered and unregistered and it involves giving MONEY to the government.

As with everything this collection of parasites do, it is all about revenue......

Technically, if you are unlicensed or unregoed, you are also UNINSURED. a big problem for anyone who you run into.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Technically, if you are unlicensed or unregoed, you are also UNINSURED. a big problem for anyone who you run into.

Sort of like living in QLD near a river.......

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by flappist

The cameras cannot detect unlicensed or uninsured or drunk, all they can tell is if you have not paid your rego (tax).

There is only ONE diference between registered and unregistered and it involves giving MONEY to the government.

As with everything this collection of parasites do, it is all about revenue......

So if someone in an unregistered car and subsequently uninsured car runs into your car and does serious damage or god forbid injures or kills one of you family members your'e OK with that because these are just revenue raising cameras .

Who here on this forum would seriously even consider driving an unregistered car ? I am all for this technology . Back in the 80's a friend of mine had a guy in an unregisterd EH holden run into the back of his Porsche 930 , cost him $10,000.00 personally to fix it properly on top of his loss of no claims bonus and subsequent higher premiums . I simply fail to see the negative in the introduction of ANPR cameras .

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Auturbo6

Am wondering whether or not, the action of changing nr plates on motor vehicles will be reconised by this "awsome" technology. One can still have two cars, and one set of plates. lol.

Hmm, good question. If one has two identical cars and the same plates on both, how can this be caught out? Never seen VIN number being checked on a routine traffic stop. Last time I registered a car, they didnt even come out to sight the car to see if it existed.. just handed them the $$$ and they said off you go .

[SLO AU XR8]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Hmm, good question. If one has two identical cars and the same plates on both, how can this be caught out? Never seen VIN number being checked on a routine traffic stop. Last time I registered a car, they didnt even come out to sight the car to see if it existed.. just handed them the $$$ and they said off you go .

The same thing happened with me when I registered my brother's car, and got fresh rego on my XR8......

[xxx000]

it's known as the trifecta: unregistered, unlicenced and uninsured (3rd part bodily inj)

they often go together so yes it will pick up lots and lots of unlicenced drivers

if you can't pay the 'taxes' to drive you shouldn't be on the road

plus as i mentioned prev it detects reported stolen cars and bikes

[Ben73]

Oh well. I prefer this over another speed camera.

At least the people caught are knowingly doing something wrong, and not someone who has accidentally slipped to 10km/h over the limit without realizing.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Oh well. I prefer this over another speed camera.

At least the people caught are knowingly doing something wrong, and not someone who has accidentally slipped to 10km/h over the limit without realizing.

Yeh the guy whose rego renewal was lost in the mail and is 2 days overdue is a major criminal.

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by flappist

Yeh the guy whose rego renewal was lost in the mail and is 2 days overdue is a major criminal.

Oh my god - you get so much notice for rego renewal up here it's not funny...you can even pay it late without having to get a new roadworthy done.

You are aware this is never going to happen aren't you?

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

Oh my god - you get so much notice for rego renewal up here it's not funny...you can even pay it late without having to get a new roadworthy done.

You are aware this is never going to happen aren't you?

If you pay it late then the period between when it ran out and when you pay it IT IS UNREGISTERED and if it runs out on Sunday and you get pulled over on Monday going down to pay it you are driving and unregistered vehicle.

This is a huge crime and will cost you a lot of money and maybe your license.

If, on the Friday before you were pulled up on your way to a tyre shop to replace your totally bald tyres, they would be just a warning......

Sezzy, not everyone lives in a city.....

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by flappist

If you pay it late then the period between when it ran out and when you pay it IT IS UNREGISTERED and if it runs out on Sunday and you get pulled over on Monday going down to pay it you are driving and unregistered vehicle.

This is a huge crime and will cost you a lot of money and maybe your license.

If, on the Friday before you were pulled up on your way to a tyre shop to replace your totally bald tyres, they would be just a warning......

Sezzy, not everyone lives in a city.....

No, but you do get a good six weeks notice that your rego is due in Queensland.

My car is registered in Victoria, expires in Feb, I get it at the end of December - it's really not the way you describe it at all. In fact, It would seem that you are just trying to refute yet another attempt at someone trying to change things, something which is becoming very common, and very old. I know that every time a thread such as this comes up - you will dispute it.

No, not everyone lives in a city - but I'm not sure what your point is there...

It seems now, that you're siding with those who fail to take responsibility for their vehicle, and yet if an unregistered driver kills someone, you'll probably blame the government for not doing anything.

They can't win with you, and I don't think anyone else can either.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by flappist

Yeh the guy whose rego renewal was lost in the mail and is 2 days overdue is a major criminal.

How often would this happen? Even if it did most people would call up and asks whats going on with the paper work before thier rego has expired.
Then surely a temporary solution will be set up until its all fixed up correctly.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Ben73

How often would this happen? Even if it did most people would call up and asks whats going on with the paper work before thier rego has expired.
Then surely a temporary solution will be set up until its all fixed up correctly.

To me several times over the years on both bikes and cars. My father went a whole year without rego until one day he noticed his sticker was the wrong colour.

Most people do not spend every second thinking about their car and/or have lots of cars due at different times.

Without looking when is your drivers license due, your rates notice (or parents rates notice), your passport, and last of all the exact day your rego runs out (and the rego of your parents cars)?

The point I was making is that being late paying a tax is the only crime in Australia considered to be worse by the government than murder.

The sticker is such a good reminder, especially when it is attached to the broken windscreen you had replaced months before.

And of course our SPERS system, tax bullies. Have a fight with the council over something stupid and lose your drivers license UNTIL YOU PAY YOUR TAX.

Of course if you want to complain about the unfair fine you can't because in QLD it is now ILLEGAL to contact an elected official directly, that is you are not allowed to ring your local councellor, and the public vegetables do not care.

[Dave3911]

So flappist, your point is that because these camera's may be used to bring some hardship on someone who's registration is only a few days out - that makes their introduction pointless???

You've got to be joking.

Whilst I can appreciate your point that it'd be damn unfotunate for this to occur - and I too would be mighty ****ed off. I also acknowledge that I am an Adult. I am responsible for my own affairs. Regardless of whether I get any renewal notice - it's my responsibility to ensure my car is registered on the road.

Also - it's a $600+ bill when it comes, so like my rates notice, insurance and other items that come around anually - I have to prepare for them. Most fortnightly budgets in most households don't have a $600 contingency in them. I totally refute your point that the average joe "doesn't know" when these items are due. If they don't - they are burying their head in the sand to their responsibilites.

These cameras are an awesome policing tool. Whilst this article pushes the road rule enforcement aspect of it - that is seriously only the tip of the iceberg. If rolled out property - with mobile units fitted to as many cars as possible - this technology has the potential to be a key factor in not only stolen motor vehicles - but stolen property, the drug trade and detecting other oustanding criminals via their cars. Stats in the UK have shown their warrant clean-up rate has gone through the roof.

[deesun]

I'm all for this one too. Who says the copper won't let you off with a warning if you are a couple of days late although he shouldn't because the car is uninsured as well as out of rego. This effects others as well if there is an accident. We used to have the court notices in our local paper and plenty of them who were pulled over for even minor offences got the trifecta. As for lost in the mail,it's renewed every year theres a sticker on your car to remind you and it's your responsibility.
Question, in any state is it illegal or will the owner of a car be in any way held responsible if an accident occurs whilst his/her car is in the hands of an unlicenced driver? I can be held liable if I loan my boat to an unlicenced driver.

[sudszy]

Originally Posted by deesun

Question, in any state is it illegal or will the owner of a car be in any way held responsible if an accident occurs whilst his/her car is in the hands of an unlicenced driver? I can be held liable if I loan my boat to an unlicenced driver.

Along with having a vehicle registered in your name comes responsibility. You are responsible for the damage it causes, people injured etc, the insurance you ought to take out protects you.

This is of course if you act responsibility, handing the keys over to someone who you know is unlicenced, drunk etc is not and I would anticipate you'd be crucified in the courts.

Its in your best interests if loaning your vehicle to perfect strangers to actually see a licence produced, not sure if you can actually find out from law enforcement if it is still valid though.

[fmc351]

Unreg costs everyone. If there is an accident involving an unregistered car, the injured still can get compensation (a good thing too). However, the fees Suncorp or Allianz or whoever you pay the 3rd party too, has built into it an amount to cover the nominal defendant. Nominal defendant being the uninsured, or unknown driver of an at fault vehicle.

Suncorp et al dont absorb the costs of that, we do. How much cost that adds to the cost of rego (insurance), I have no idea.

[302 XC]

Checking rego plates details has been around for a thousand years
People i knew years ago thought plates of a regoed holden were fine on an unregoed ford
They got caught
Then ya have the insurance problem
1 day /2 day or a week over rego ,its unregoed end of story

Theres a sticker on your car somewhere that tells you what day and month your rego is due
IF ya dont get the relevant paper work to renue rego
Its generally noone elses problem
Even states on rego renewal
"The car will be unregistered on XXX day"
We dont need to be rocket scientists,its not that hard

Its just the same as SPERS taking your licence of you for unpaid fines
You drive without a licence its your fault